Apple

iOS 10 tidbit: apps now must seek permission before accessing your music library

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 15, 2016

Apple has made some changes to how iOS handles apps that wish to access users' music libraries, with iOS 10 now requiring your explicit permission before any app is allowed to interact with your music.

This new safeguard increases your privacy while ensuring that no app can silently analyze what's in your music library without you knowing it. Additionally, it makes it more difficult, if not downright impossible, for apps to potentially upload your music library to the cloud in order build a profile of your musical tastes for advertising purposes.

Did iPhone 7’s touch-sensitive Home button just leak?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 29, 2016

Many sources are adamant that we'll have to wait until a tenth anniversary iPhone next year for a bezel-less device with an integrated Touch ID sensor and no Home button. As for the upcoming iPhone 7 revision, the most recent leak from MobiPicker suggests that the iPhone 7 might come outfitted with a touch-sensitive Home button that sits flush with the surrounding bezel, requiring users to perform tapping actions due to the absence of any moving parts.

Apple Watch 2 rumored to debut later this year

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 15, 2016

A second-generation Apple Watch will most likely launch either alongside Apple's iPhone 7 this September or later this year, according to supply chain sources who spoke with DigiTimes, a Taiwanese trade publication with a hit-and-miss record in reporting Apple rumors.

You can now watch Apple’s WWDC 2016 keynote on YouTube

Cody Lee ∙ June 14, 2016

It’s taken a while, but Apple has finally uploaded this year’s WWDC keynote to YouTube. The replay has been available as an embedded video on Apple’s website since yesterday, but obviously YouTube is a lot more device-friendly.

So for the folks who missed the keynote, or would just like to watch it again, things have just gotten much easier. You can now view it in its entirety in YouTube’s desktop or mobile web app, or via the native mobile YouTube app.

iOS 10 preview: Messages does stickers, apps, animations & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 20, 2016

Apple's iMessage system has officially become a chat platform in its own right as Messages in iOS 10 now supports third-party apps, stickers and more. In addition, Messages on iOS 10 brings out a number of useful improvements, including animated chat bubbles and full-screen motion backgrounds.

But we're just getting started: Messages on iOS 10 supports inline media previews, sports a redesigned built-in camera, provides downloadable stickers and apps, includes handwriting recognition, Digital Touch for your media and more.

Here's our walkthrough showing off every new feature in iOS 10 Messages.

Poll: will you upgrade to iOS 10 or keep your jailbreak?

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

Apple announced iOS 10 yesterday at the company's WWDC 2016 Keynote and awed the audience with some pretty neat new features.

Of course, the battle continues for those who want more control over their devices, and because of that, we want to know whether you're going to be updating to iOS 10 this Fall, or if you'll be keeping your iOS device(s) jailbroken on iOS 9 or earlier.

How Apple’s next-generation file system will make your data more secure across platforms

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 23, 2018

Apple's efforts on adding even stronger security to its software platforms is coming to light with news that the company is introducing a brand new file system with “encryption as a primary feature”. Called the Apple File System (APFS), the new feature is optimized for flash-based storage and engineered to “scale from an Apple Watch to a Mac Pro”.

Here's how it ensures the integrity and security of your data across devices.

Apple Pay confirmed to expand to France, Hong Kong and Switzerland

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 14, 2016

During yesterday's WWDC 2016 keynote, Apple has confirmed that its mobile payments service is officially launching later this year in France, Hong Kong and Switzerland. Local Apple Pay webpages in these countries have already been refreshed to acknowledge the forthcoming launches in partnerships with Visa, MasterCard and American Express and detail participating banks and merchants.

Apple removes Game Center app from iOS 10 and macOS Sierra betas

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 14, 2016

Apple has removed the Game Center app from the first betas of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra. The change appears to be permanent, according to the iOS 10 Preview release notes. Although it's still available in Settings, “the Game Center app has been removed,” reads the document.

That doesn't mean that developers can no longer use the Game Center service or implement Game Center features—quite the contrary—it's just that the user-facing Game Center app is no longer available.

Apple TV games are no longer required to support Siri Remote

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 14, 2016

Apple has dropped the requirement for tvOS games to use the Siri Remote, according to a refreshed version of the official Game Controller Programming Guide. With this change in place, games for the fourth-generation Apple TV are now permitted to require a 'Made for iOS' (MFi) controller without needing to also support the Siri Remote.

10 iOS 10 features that appear to be derived from the jailbreak community

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 14, 2016

Every year, Apple updates their lineup of iOS devices with a major new firmware version. This year at WWDC 2016, Apple announced iOS 10, and it not only includes an array of new features for users to take advantage of, but it also comes with some subtle UI changes that will be easy to spot in day-to-day use as well.

Of course, when Apple adds new features to iOS, sometimes those features aren't 100% original. Sometimes, they've existed in the jailbreak community for a long time in one form or another.

In this roundup, we'll go over 10 features in iOS 10 that appear to be derived from jailbreak tweaks and have already existed for those who have been pwning their devices to get around what Apple doesn't want you to have.

2016 Apple Design Award winners: Streaks, djay Pro, Lara Croft GO, and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 17, 2019

Following its WWDC keynote on Monday, Apple held a smaller event to announce the winners of its Apple Design Awards. This is an annual undertaking for the company, and the awards are highly coveted by developers.

Apple grants the awards to high quality apps and games, with unique and compelling designs that set them apart from other offerings. Winners get featured in the App Store, a trophy, and an assortment of Apple products.